The present invention is directed to the cutting, welding, or otherwise working pipes, plates, tank ends, and the like, and in particular to apparatus for performing precise angular manipulations on or in such members.
Amongst the applications for the present apparatus, the cutting of pipe or sheets, with varying shape cuts, and angular bevels is of prime interest. As a result the present disclosure is directed to illustrating the apparatus for such use, the other uses will be obvious from such illustrations.
There are many known devices in the prior art for cutting pipes and the like at a desired angle of cut. The prior art teaches making profiled cuts of different shapes such as angle cuts, holes, saddle cuts and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,063,697 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,166,670 both show welding a pipe with an oxyacetylene torch, which torch is rotated around the pipe by a chain and sprocket arrangement. The angle at which the torch rotates around the pipe may be adjusted by positioning a cam plate at the desired angle. A roller urged into an engagement with the cam plate is connected to a slidable mounting means carrying the torch. Therefore, as the roller is urged by the cam plate, which has been preset, at the desired angle, the torch will rotate about the pipe at that angle. By the choice of the profile of the cam plate, a saddle cut, a straight angle cut, or numerous other cuts may be formd in the cut surface of the pipe. For a saddle cut, for example, such a cam plate would have a bulge in the center thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,408,517 shows apparatus with the same principle of operation as the above two patents. The main difference is in the means for rotating the torch around the pipe. This patent shows also an adjustable torch head which may be angularly rotated before cutting to attain a desired angular bevel cut. Such bevel cut refers to the angle which the solid portion of the pipe is cut.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,990,169 shows another form of a pipe cutting apparatus where a torch head may be adjusted before cutting to also attain a desired angular bevel cut.
In all of the prior art devices, there is no way to adjust the bevel cut while the torch is being rotated. Thus, when the torch head is set to its preset angular position, in those prior art devices that allow for such adjustment, the bevel is cut at a constant angle throughout.
Further, these prior art devices can, on the most part, be used only for cutting pipes. U.S. Pat. No. 2,990,169 discloses an apparatus that may also be used for cutting holes, but such an apparatus is complicated and unwieldy.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cutting apparatus that is capable of not only cutting pipes, but also capable of cutting plates, tank ends, and the like, and which may also be used for cutting holes in same.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a means of cutting or welding plates, tanks, and dished members without the use of mechanical peripheral equipment to control the movements of the cutting or welding head, which, as a result restrict the size and working capacity of the device since such peripheral objects mechanically limit the apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an adjustable torch head where angle of cut may be continually altered as it cuts. Such torch head has the characteristic that it is possible to continually alter the angle of bevel cut while it is cutting a pipe, or the like.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for cutting pipes, or the like, that is easily maneuverable and transportable.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that may be used for welding two cut pieces together. Such use of the present invention would substitute an electric arc for the torch.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that is automatic and simple to operate.
The foregoing objects, together with other objects and advantages are set forth in the foregoing disclosure of the present invention.